HOB - One season (or less) wonders of 1980

Tiger Fan · 12-13-2001, 08:23 PM

MOMENTS OF GLORY - FRAN MULLINS AND MIKE LACOSS
The 1980 season saw two unlikely players emerge as heroes. Here is a look at the careers of each of them.

Fran Mullins
With just one week to go in the 1980 regular season and a playoff berth locked up the Chicago White Sox received terrible news. Their starting thirdbaseman, Don Money, an allstar in 1979, was lost for the season with a broken foot. The White Sox had really no depth at third at all. They had 39 year old Dick Kenworthy, a man who never had a prime and if he did was well past it or 23 year old minor leaguer Fran Mullins. Mullins had never played a major league game but was put on the playoff roster to replace Money. In 13 at bats to end the season he got but one hit. However, something happened in the postseason as Mullins suddenly caught fire. In game one of the ALCS with Milwaukee he goes 3 for 6 and drives in 3 runs including the game winner. In game 5 he homers twice and in game 6 he drives in 3 runs to help force a 7th game. He hits a key double and scores a run in the 7th game as the White Sox beat Milwaukee to advance to the World Series. Mullins hits .323 with 2 homers and 3 rbis and is named the ALCS MVP.
He struggles early in the 1980 World Series against Cincinnati going 0-for-14 but gets 8 hits in his final 16 at bats of the series to help the White Sox win in 7 games.
In 1981 with Money healthy he is back in the minors and the White Sox actually throw him in on a trade that sends Harold Baines to Texas for pitcher Joe Coleman. Mullins has a couple of decent years with the Rangers but by 1989 has lost his job to Dean Palmer. The Rangers send him back to Chicago, to the Cubs this time in a 1991 trade for a couple of scrubs named Dan Rohm and Ced Landrum.





  CAREER STATS :

 

  YEAR   AVG HR RBI   G  AB   H 2B 3B   R SB CS  BB   K  OBP  SLG   TEAMS

  1980  .077  0   1   3  13   1  1  0   2  0  0   0   8 .077 .154   CHA

  1981  .000  0   0   2   2   0  0  0   0  0  0   0   0 .000 .000   CHA,TEX

  1982  .269  5  34  93 324  87 25  0  39  0  2  33  77 .336 .392   TEX

  1983  .301  5  53 100 349 105 24  0  50  5  3  36  82 .366 .413   TEX

  1984  .280  8  55 122 425 119 30  0  50  3  7  50 108 .356 .407   TEX

  1985  .274  8  61 137 482 132 39  0  68  6  0  58 104 .352 .405   TEX

  1986  .250  7  54 155 563 141 27  0  64  6  1  61 148 .324 .336   TEX

  1987  .301  7  56 156 602 181 41  0  78  8  7  65 153 .369 .404   TEX

  1988  .273  8  73 153 572 156 48  0  83  3  6  57 131 .339 .399   TEX

  1989  .282  0   6  24  78  22  7  0  11  1  1   4  24 .317 .372   TEX

  1990  .111  0   1  11  18   2  2  0   0  0  0   3   7 .238 .222   TEX

  1991  .291  8  50  92 309  90 23  0  47  5  4  37  81 .367 .443   TEX,CHN

  1992  .284  8  66 135 331  94 26  0  47  7  4  43  96 .366 .435   CHN

  1993  .273  8  54 150 487 133 32  0  58 12  3  52 130 .342 .388   CHN   



               HOB      REAL LIFE

  Total AB  : 4555       212

  Total AVG : .277      .203

  Total Hits: 1263        43

  Total HR  : 72           2

  Total RBI : 564         18

  Total Runs: 597         20

  Total SB  : 56           3

As you can see he certainly outdid his real life numbers but in the 1980 ALCS he had the makings of a star.

MIKE LACOSS
LaCoss had an entire summer in the spotlight when he went 17-1 for the Reds in 1980. Never before or since did he show any indication he had that kind of talent. But for 4 months he was Jim O'Toole and Cliff Markle rolled into one.
He was exposed in the 1993 expansion draft and selected by Colorado but as you can see his luck hasnt changed.





 CAREER STATS :

 

  YEAR    ERA  W  L  S   G CG SHO    IP  ER  BB   K  TEAMS

  1978   7.11  0  0  0   7  0   0   6.1   5   3   4  CIN

  1979   1.73  0  1  0  17  0   0  26.0   5   9   9  CIN

  1980   2.60 17  1  0  19  0   0 135.0  39  34  67  CIN

  1981   3.89 11 11  0  32  2   1 212.2  92  58 116  CIN

  1982   4.79 10  8  0  30  0   0 167.1  89  51 101  CIN

  1983   6.25  6  9  0  38  0   0 144.0 100  51  90  CIN

  1984   2.53  0  0  0  10  0   0  10.2   3   5   5  CIN

  1985  22.50  0  0  0   4  0   0   4.0  10   6   1  CIN

  1986   4.15  0  0  0   4  0   0   4.1   2   1   3  CIN

  1987   3.68  0  4  0  12  0   0  14.2   6   6   7  CIN

  1988   3.99  7  1  1  16  0   0  47.1  21  14  26  CIN

  1989   8.56  0  0  0  11  0   0  13.2  13   3   3  CIN

  1990   1.85  5  1  0   7  0   0  48.2  10  16  24  CIN

  1991   6.48  4  7  0  19  0   0 100.0  72  24  47  CIN

  1992   5.69  7  2  0  20  0   0  55.1  35  18  24  CIN

  1993   6.19  5 20  0  33  0   0 180.1 124  52 103  COL 

 

                 HOB   REAL LIFE

  Total ERA   : 4.82     4.02

  Total Wins  : 72         98

  Total Losses: 65        103

  Total Saves : 1          12

  Total SHO   : 1           9

  Total CG    : 2          26

  Total K's   : 630       783

  Total BB's  : 351       725

LaCoss is just another mediocre pitcher who somehow for one year put it all together in the HOB. Perhaps he never recoved mentally from the shelling he took that cost his team game 7 of the 1980 series. Or was he just never that good to begin with? You just have to wonder how a pitcher could win 16 straight decisions and look so dominating in Game 4 of the 1980 World Series but never again duplicate or come anywhere near the form he displayed.

12-13-2001, 08:23 PM	#1
Tiger Fan Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 9,873	HOB - One season (or less) wonders of 1980 MOMENTS OF GLORY - FRAN MULLINS AND MIKE LACOSS The 1980 season saw two unlikely players emerge as heroes. Here is a look at the careers of each of them. Fran Mullins With just one week to go in the 1980 regular season and a playoff berth locked up the Chicago White Sox received terrible news. Their starting thirdbaseman, Don Money, an allstar in 1979, was lost for the season with a broken foot. The White Sox had really no depth at third at all. They had 39 year old Dick Kenworthy, a man who never had a prime and if he did was well past it or 23 year old minor leaguer Fran Mullins. Mullins had never played a major league game but was put on the playoff roster to replace Money. In 13 at bats to end the season he got but one hit. However, something happened in the postseason as Mullins suddenly caught fire. In game one of the ALCS with Milwaukee he goes 3 for 6 and drives in 3 runs including the game winner. In game 5 he homers twice and in game 6 he drives in 3 runs to help force a 7th game. He hits a key double and scores a run in the 7th game as the White Sox beat Milwaukee to advance to the World Series. Mullins hits .323 with 2 homers and 3 rbis and is named the ALCS MVP. He struggles early in the 1980 World Series against Cincinnati going 0-for-14 but gets 8 hits in his final 16 at bats of the series to help the White Sox win in 7 games. In 1981 with Money healthy he is back in the minors and the White Sox actually throw him in on a trade that sends Harold Baines to Texas for pitcher Joe Coleman. Mullins has a couple of decent years with the Rangers but by 1989 has lost his job to Dean Palmer. The Rangers send him back to Chicago, to the Cubs this time in a 1991 trade for a couple of scrubs named Dan Rohm and Ced Landrum. CAREER STATS : YEAR AVG HR RBI G AB H 2B 3B R SB CS BB K OBP SLG TEAMS 1980 .077 0 1 3 13 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 8 .077 .154 CHA 1981 .000 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 CHA,TEX 1982 .269 5 34 93 324 87 25 0 39 0 2 33 77 .336 .392 TEX 1983 .301 5 53 100 349 105 24 0 50 5 3 36 82 .366 .413 TEX 1984 .280 8 55 122 425 119 30 0 50 3 7 50 108 .356 .407 TEX 1985 .274 8 61 137 482 132 39 0 68 6 0 58 104 .352 .405 TEX 1986 .250 7 54 155 563 141 27 0 64 6 1 61 148 .324 .336 TEX 1987 .301 7 56 156 602 181 41 0 78 8 7 65 153 .369 .404 TEX 1988 .273 8 73 153 572 156 48 0 83 3 6 57 131 .339 .399 TEX 1989 .282 0 6 24 78 22 7 0 11 1 1 4 24 .317 .372 TEX 1990 .111 0 1 11 18 2 2 0 0 0 0 3 7 .238 .222 TEX 1991 .291 8 50 92 309 90 23 0 47 5 4 37 81 .367 .443 TEX,CHN 1992 .284 8 66 135 331 94 26 0 47 7 4 43 96 .366 .435 CHN 1993 .273 8 54 150 487 133 32 0 58 12 3 52 130 .342 .388 CHN HOB REAL LIFE Total AB : 4555 212 Total AVG : .277 .203 Total Hits: 1263 43 Total HR : 72 2 Total RBI : 564 18 Total Runs: 597 20 Total SB : 56 3 As you can see he certainly outdid his real life numbers but in the 1980 ALCS he had the makings of a star. MIKE LACOSS LaCoss had an entire summer in the spotlight when he went 17-1 for the Reds in 1980. Never before or since did he show any indication he had that kind of talent. But for 4 months he was Jim O'Toole and Cliff Markle rolled into one. He was exposed in the 1993 expansion draft and selected by Colorado but as you can see his luck hasnt changed. CAREER STATS : YEAR ERA W L S G CG SHO IP ER BB K TEAMS 1978 7.11 0 0 0 7 0 0 6.1 5 3 4 CIN 1979 1.73 0 1 0 17 0 0 26.0 5 9 9 CIN 1980 2.60 17 1 0 19 0 0 135.0 39 34 67 CIN 1981 3.89 11 11 0 32 2 1 212.2 92 58 116 CIN 1982 4.79 10 8 0 30 0 0 167.1 89 51 101 CIN 1983 6.25 6 9 0 38 0 0 144.0 100 51 90 CIN 1984 2.53 0 0 0 10 0 0 10.2 3 5 5 CIN 1985 22.50 0 0 0 4 0 0 4.0 10 6 1 CIN 1986 4.15 0 0 0 4 0 0 4.1 2 1 3 CIN 1987 3.68 0 4 0 12 0 0 14.2 6 6 7 CIN 1988 3.99 7 1 1 16 0 0 47.1 21 14 26 CIN 1989 8.56 0 0 0 11 0 0 13.2 13 3 3 CIN 1990 1.85 5 1 0 7 0 0 48.2 10 16 24 CIN 1991 6.48 4 7 0 19 0 0 100.0 72 24 47 CIN 1992 5.69 7 2 0 20 0 0 55.1 35 18 24 CIN 1993 6.19 5 20 0 33 0 0 180.1 124 52 103 COL HOB REAL LIFE Total ERA : 4.82 4.02 Total Wins : 72 98 Total Losses: 65 103 Total Saves : 1 12 Total SHO : 1 9 Total CG : 2 26 Total K's : 630 783 Total BB's : 351 725 LaCoss is just another mediocre pitcher who somehow for one year put it all together in the HOB. Perhaps he never recoved mentally from the shelling he took that cost his team game 7 of the 1980 series. Or was he just never that good to begin with? You just have to wonder how a pitcher could win 16 straight decisions and look so dominating in Game 4 of the 1980 World Series but never again duplicate or come anywhere near the form he displayed. __________________ Cliff Markle HOB1 greatest pitcher 360-160, 9 Welch Awards, 11 WS titles